Moonlight – Twilight, Edward POV
by AccurateElk
Summary: A retelling of Twilight from Edward's point of view. This retelling contains content owned by Stephenie Meyer, including dialogue taken straight from her work. Please note that this story assumes you have read the first novel in the Twilight Saga. If you have not, you may not understand some of the characters or events in this FanFiction.
1. First Sight

**1\. First Sight**

Tedious. That is the only way to describe the day to day goings on of Forks High School. All of us have been through high school at least 4 times and have attained various bachelors and advanced degrees. Clearly, attending Forks High School every single day is one of the dullest periods of our existence.

Jasper exited the car, a look of resignation on his face as he surveyed the parking lot. He hated this more than any of us. His daily struggle reminded him that he is not as accustomed to this life as the rest of us. He hates feeling weak.

"See you at lunch," I said to him, giving him a pat on the shoulder as I passed.

_Can't wait_, he thought sarcastically.

We all understood the necessity of this and had resigned ourselves to our fate. The younger we all claimed to be, the longer we could stay in one place. And Forks really was the perfect place to live. Almost always overcast, we weren't trapped inside as we often were in other locations. We could almost pretend to be normal. Almost.

I crossed the parking lot, walking at the slowest pace I could bear. None of the students looked up at me. They never looked at us anymore.

_Bye then Edward_, Alice called in her mind, since I'd walked away without saying goodbye.

I turned my head to offer her a small smile. It must have been more of a grimace because she laughed out loud.

_If I'd known you would be such a sore loser, I'd have let you win_, she chortled.

In the early hours of the morning, Alice had challenged me to a game of chess. She'd won, of course. She only ever challenges me when she is sure to win.

"Ha. How about another game later?" I muttered under my breath, knowing she would still hear me across the lot.

We both watched the vision that came into her mind: her knocking over her king in defeat.

_Sorry, can't. I'm incredibly busy tonight, I couldn't possibly fit it in_, she retorted.

"Sure."

She darted off in the other direction, quickly catching up to Jasper who was heading into the school building. I sighed and walked into my classroom.

The next few hours passed slowly. I spent the majority of the time contemplating the disappearances Carlisle had brought to my attention this morning. He thought that there were vampires in the area, but it is too soon to tell. Alice hadn't seen anything, so they had no intention of involving us.

"And what would that be, Mr Cullen?" Mrs Goff interrupted my contemplating.

"El entorno," I replied, providing the correct answer in flawless Spanish.

"Correct," Mrs Goff replied beaming at me. I was, of course, her favourite student.

I walked down the corridor at lunchtime, catching up with Emmett a few meters ahead of me.

_Jasper's thinking of going hunting tonight, you in?_ He asked silently.

I nodded swiftly.

_Sweeeet. We're gonna see who can bag the most elk._

I rolled my eyes. My brothers loved a competition.

Emmett stalked ahead to catch up to Rosalie, Alice and Jasper, who were just entering the cafe. Emmett ducked slightly, as always, to fit through the door. I entered after them, following them silently to queue for food none of us would eat. We took our trays to our usual table, unoccupied in the corner.

This was the most uninteresting time of day. Rosalie was staring out the cafeteria window, considering some modifications she wanted to make to her car. Emmett was imagining the hunting trip we were taking later, choosing the spot carefully and deciding how he could swing the competition to his advantage. Sat across from me, Alice was scanning the future, looking for visions of Jasper. She saw him picking out a gift for her, scrunched up her nose and made a mental note to drop some unsubtle hints about what she wanted. Jasper was suffering as usual. I didn't need to go into his mind to know that. His arms were drawn tightly across his chest, his hands clenched into fists. He was disappointed in himself. He'd thought it would get easier to be around humans. It hadn't.

Distractedly, Alice rose from the table with her tray and walked towards the exit, disposing of her tray as she left. As the door swung shut behind her, I heard someone call our name.

_Oh the Cullens. Of course she's spotted them_.

I reflexively lifted my head towards the noiseless call. The girl I had reacted to was Jessica Stanley. I remembered clearly how she'd taken a liking to me when we had come back to Forks a few years ago. Her thoughts had been rather explicit and difficult to tune out, but she'd quickly learned that I was not interested and moved on.

I shifted my gaze to the person she was talking to. It was the new girl everyone was excited about. Isabella Swan, daughter of the chief of police. Bella, as she seemed to like to be called. I looked away from them both quickly.

"That's Edward and Emmett Cullen, and Rosalie and Jasper Hale. The one who left was Alice Cullen; they all live together with Dr. Cullen and his wife," Jessica stated. I wondered if the jealousy in her voice was clear to everyone or just me, since I could read her thoughts.

"The new girl has asked about us," I muttered to my family, making an effort to pick at my bagel since I knew we had an audience.

_Of course she has_, Rosalie thought. _I bet the local children are relishing telling her the story of the weird and mysterious Cullens_.

"More or less," I replied.

"They are ... very nice-looking," Bella responded to Jessica.

"Yes!" _Nice-looking? They're all smoking hot!_ Jessica added mentally. "They're all _together_ though – Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice, I mean. And they _live_ together," she whispered conspiratorially.

"Which ones are the Cullens? They don't look related ..." Bella replied simply.

"Oh, they're not. Dr Cullen is really young, in his twenties or early thirties. They're all adopted. The Hales _are_ brother and sister, twins – the blondes – and they're foster children."

"They look a little old for foster children."

"They are now, Jasper and Rosalie are both eighteen, but they've been with Mrs. Cullen since they were eight. She's their aunt or something like that," Jessica added dismissively.

"That's really kind of nice – for them to take care of all those kids like that, when they're so young and everything."

"I guess so," Jessica replied, clearly annoyed that Bella was not picking up the gossip with the appropriate shock and condemnation. "I think that Mrs. Cullen can't have any kids, though."

I clenched my fist and blocked out the malicious comments in her mind. We were used to humans not accepting us, embraced it even. But Esme is the most generous and loving person I have ever known. I was not in the mood to listen to Jessica's jealous and petty comments.

"Have they always lived in Forks?" Bella interrupted Jessica's thoughts.

"No. They just moved down two years ago from somewhere in Alaska."

"So, what does the new girl make of the strange and beautiful Cullens?" Emmett whispered. Although intended as a joke, I could tell he was keen for the answer. Jasper and Rosalie turned fractionally towards me, their minds also curious.

I sought out the girl's mind, lifting my head to find her. She was staring at me with curiosity in her chocolate-brown eyes. Her cheeks flushed a pale pink as she quickly diverted her eyes, embarrassed to be caught looking. I searched for her thoughts.

Nothing.

How could that be? I concentrated harder, trying to pick her mental voice out of the mingling thoughts in the cafeteria. Still nothing. It's like she wasn't even there. But I could see her with my own eyes, head bowed with a faint blush still on her cheeks.

"Which one is the boy with the reddish brown hair?" Her eyes flickered to me as she said it, but she quickly fixed them on the table when she realised I was still staring at her.

This was impossible. Why couldn't I hear her? I tuned into Jessica thoughts. I immediately heard the tenor of her mind. The ever-present hum of the thoughts in the cafeteria buzzed in the back of my mind.

"That's Edward," Jessica replied with a small giggle. "He's gorgeous, of course, but don't waste your time. He doesn't date. Apparently none of the girls here are good-looking enough for him," she added, the bitterness clear in her tone.

Her thoughts flashed through the memories of my rejection. She remembered how she'd considered confronting me about why I was ignoring her. I had to smile at that. I turned my face away towards the window, letting my mouth curve up slightly at the edges. Emmett looked at me with a quizzical expression.

"Go on then, who does she fancy the most?" Emmett said, waggling his eyebrows comically.

"I don't know," I replied coolly. I was still in shock. I had never come across a human whose mind I could not read. Who was this girl?

"It was me, wasn't it?" Emmett laughed. "Don't be so put out brother, I am very attractive after all. You can't win them all."

Rosalie snorted, although her thoughts turned protective and defensive. I rolled my eyes at Emmett, determined to put the girl out of my mind. I would talk to Carlisle about the girl later.

"Let's go," Jasper whispered. "It's nearly time for class."

I sat in biology waiting for the class to start, my thoughts stuck on the new girl whose mind I couldn't hear. Not that I particularly wanted to hear her thoughts. Just listening into the minds of the students in the room reminded me of the inane musings of a typical Forks High School student.

_God, I hope Banner doesn't give us homework. I'm already so behind._

_Why would she say that? She knows I like Ethan. What is she trying to achieve?_

_I can't forget to pick Daniel up at 4 'o clock. Mum will go mad if I forget again._

I certainly wasn't keen for her to add her own insignificant thoughts to the hum, but I couldn't understand why this girl's mind was blocked to me. How was it possible?

At that moment, she walked through the door. The friend she entered with, Angela, walked towards her usual desk in the center of the room. Bella Swan took an apprehensive glance around the room. She'd be sitting next to me – all the other spaces were filled. As she stepped further into the room, approaching Mr Banner's desk, it hit me.

Her scent filled my nostrils. My lungs. My whole body. The smell of her set my bones on fire. My throat instantly burned, yearning for the sweet smell of her blood. My muscles tightened, ready to pounce. To hunt. My eyes fixed on the girl. A predator assessing his prey. As she passed, she looked at me. Her eyes darted away quickly, her cheeks reddening with hot blood. The flames in my throat flared, preparing for my feast.

_Stop_.

My father's face entered my mind. Carlisle, full of self control and reverence for human life. Carlisle, who taught me, raised me, helped me. Carlisle, spending his life denying what he is in order to help humans. He would be so disappointed in me. He hadn't raised me to do this. I paused.

I stared at the girls retreating back, my conscience battling with the beast inside me. She stumbled before reaching the front desk to pass a piece of paper to Mr Banner. As he examined it, the girl played with her hair, sweeping it round to the side to expose her delicate, pale neck. The fire burned brighter, hotter. My hands gripped the desk, warping the metal and plastic. The delicious smell radiating from the girl in powerful waves promised to quench the raging fire. I stood, crouched over the desk, preparing to leap across the room.

The scraping of my chair against the floor brought my thoughts back to reality. Carlisle. My family. They would be so upset with me, angry even. In many ways, Forks was the perfect location for us to live peacefully. We couldn't stay here after this. I imagined Esme's reaction as I told her what I had done. Gentle, loving Esme. There would be no judgement in her face, but her thoughts would betray the surprise and disappointment she felt. I sat down swiftly, subtly reshaping the buckled desk. No one in the classroom had noticed.

The monster inside me growled, angered by my hesitation. Carlisle would understand. Everyone would understand. The number of times I've been uprooted, inconvenienced, by their choices and mistakes. They could forgive me this. They would have to forgive this. I could not resist.

I took a peripheral scan of the room. 23 other children and one adult. I would need to dispose of them first. Would I be able to kill them all before the girl could scream? Possibly, but it would be close and I couldn't afford for more humans to come running. This would already be a huge disaster for the town of Forks. Yes, I would take every precaution to protect my family. I would not be the reason that the name Cullen is brought under suspicion.

I would need to work quickly. I wouldn't drink from the other humans. There would be no sense in filling myself up before I could reach the girl. Even if a small amount of blood was spilled, I was sure I could resist. The sweet call of the girl's blood was too strong. The girl was facing away from me. I could move silently, swiftly, dispose of the other humans and reach the girl before she even knew something was wrong.

At that moment, the girl turned. My plans crumbled. She walked towards me, towards the one empty seat in the room. Every step closer intensified the scent of her blood. It was overpowering. Unable to control the fire ravaging my throat, I forced my body to stop breathing. I couldn't kill her now. It would be too conspicuous. I had no options left.

She took the seat next to me. I inched my chair in the opposite direction, leaning as far away from her as the desk would allow. I would control this. I had to control this. Every muscle in my body was clenched, fighting the urge to attack the sweet-smelling girl next to me. She untucked her hair from behind her ear, letting it fall, hiding her face from view.

The rest of the hour was torture. I upheld my rigid control. All the while, the monster inside me battled for control, hammering against the iron grip I maintained. I considered leaving the classroom, running far away where her scent could not touch me. I knew I would not make it to the door. If I let my muscles relax, let my thoughts wander, I would not be able to stop myself.

I thought desperately of my family. I imagined their individual reactions to me killing this girl. Carlisle would be disappointed, of course. He would regret the loss of human life more than anything. Esme would be understanding. Too understanding. She would be most concerned about the guilt and sadness I would feel. I would think she would be disappointed about having to leave Forks, but she would not let this show. She would not want to hurt me further. Rosalie, on the other hand, would let it show very much. She would be furious that I had done this, that I had forced our family to move away from the place we felt most at home. Even Emmett would not be able to calm her anger. Although he wouldn't feel any personal resentment towards me, he would not be pleased that I had made Rosalie so angry.

Alice would be disappointed that we would have to move on again, but she would not be angry at me. She would mostly be concerned about the tension it would bring into our family. Jasper would also regret having to leave Forks, but he would hide a secret pleasure in my mistake. He was the least dedicated to our vegetarian lifestyle and resented being the weakest member of the family, and his frequent mistakes made him feel inadequate and insecure. He would see my killing of the girl as an inevitability, glad that someone else had slipped up.

The girl only looked at me once throughout the lecture. She peeked carefully around her hair, flinching when her eyes met mine. I did not know what my face looked like to her. I did not have the space to care. I was solely focused on controlling the overwhelming desire to satisfy my thirst with her blood.

The bell rang, freeing me from my torture. I left the room, walking too swiftly to appear human. No one noticed. My mind focused on every detail of my environment, distracting my thoughts so they would not return to the girl I left in the classroom. So I would not go back for her.

I did not pass any humans on my way to the parking lot. I had leapt from my seat and walked too quickly for any human to have beaten me to the corridors. I did not breathe until my car door was firmly closed.

I raced out of the parking lot. Out of Forks. It was so much easier to think when her scent wasn't burning my throat, overpowering my control. But the memory of her scent still haunted me, urging me to turn around and drive back to Forks. I steeled my resolve and pushed my foot down on the accelerator.

I drove on autopilot, contemplating my options. I didn't want to kill her. It wasn't just about my family; I didn't want to be a monster. But every time I resolved to leave her alive, the beast inside roared its ugly head, bringing back the memory of her scent. How could I leave her alive? I'd barely lasted one hour! My control was already pulled too tight, like a rope around my neck. Or hers.

But what other option did I have? Endure it. Impossible. Leave Forks and uproot my whole family. Selfish. There was no right answer and that infuriated me. Why did this have to happen to me? Why did this girl, this little insignificant girl, do this to me? Why did she come here?

At that moment, I felt God laughing at me. Carlisle insisted there was a God. It was one of the only topics on which I disagreed with him. But I now knew there was a God. A mean one. A cruel one. How else could this girl have fallen into my path? Me, a vegetarian vampire, clinging to the meagre semblance of humanity I have left. What were the chances that this sweet-smelling temptress would happen across the tiny town we lived in? It was God testing me. And I was failing. God laughing at me. And I was the fool.

I felt the rage rippled through my bones. How dare this girl, this demon, make me feel like this? How dare God, or fate or Satan himself, disrupt my life like this? I would just kill this girl and be done with it. The monster inside me cried out in victory.

Even as I thought the words, I knew they weren't true. I couldn't just kill this girl and be done with it. I couldn't. What would it mean for my family? What would it mean for me? I'd fought this monster inside me for almost a century. I couldn't – wouldn't – let this girl force me to give in now.

I returned to school in time to drive my siblings home. I was unsure if I should return – Alice could have seen that they would need to run home if I had not – but I didn't want to abandon them. I had arrived with 10 minutes until the end of their lessons, so I decided to take action to minimise the time I would have to spend with Bella Swan in the future.

I entered the reception office and approached the woman on the desk. Her heartbeat raced and eyes widened in appreciation of my appearance, as they always did.

_Wow. So gorgeous. What is in the water at the Cullens' place?!_

"Hello Edward," she greeted me warmly. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Thank you Mrs Cope, there is something I would like your help with," I answered with a kind smile. "I was hoping I could switch from my sixth-hour biology class."

_Switch from biology? He has perfect grades, why would he want to switch?_

"I will have a look at your timetable now."

She entered my information into the computer system, tapping loudly on the keys with her acrylic nails. I surveyed her thoughts as she evaluated my timetable. Every other sixth-hour class was full.

Before she could confirm this out loud, I added, "My father has offered me an internship at his hospital. I was wondering if it would be possible to take that hour to gain some work experience with him?"

_He wants to be a doctor? Surely, he would need biology for that …_

"I'm sorry Edward," she replied, her voice sincere. "We do not allow juniors to take internships or placements, and there are no other available classes for that period."

At that moment, the office door opened and another human stepped in. Classes must have ended. I needed to meet my siblings.

"Perhaps I could take that period as independent study time? I feel it would be beneficial for me to focus on my other studies," I purred persuasively.

_Uhh … what did he say? He is so handsome! His eyes are so deep and dark ..._

Mrs Cope blinked slowly, seemingly dazed, before stuttering, "I don't think that is possible, Edward. Juniors are only allowed a certain number of hours for independent study. I could ask Mr Greene if ..."

The office door swung open again. A student walked through to place a note on the desk, swirling the air in the room with their movements. That was when I realised _she_ was there.

I turned towards her scent. Bella Swan. She stood meekly near the closed office door, her backpack slumped at her feet. Her eyes met mine. She looked apprehensive. Scared, even.

Her scent pained me. My throat burned, my chest ached, my stomach yearned. For her. For her blood. The monster inside me roared at the smell, at her presence, in this small, enclosed room.

_Carlisle. Esme. Alice. Jasper. Emmett. Rosalie._

I forced my body to stop breathing as I pulled the faces of my family into my mind, remembering how they would react if I were to kill her. Remembering why I should leave Bella alive. Why I should leave, right now, and never look back. I turned away from her to face the receptionist once more. The beast inside raged as I denied my thirst, my nature, once again.

"Never mind then. I can see that it's impossible," I growled hastily to Mrs Cope, desperate to breathe fresh air. "Thank you so much for your help."

I left the office swiftly and stalked across the parking lot to my Volvo. My family were already seated in the car, waiting. I threw myself into the driving seat, racing to get away from Forks High School. Away from her. Away from the monster I was.

I could feel the eyes of my siblings trained on my back in confusion. Their thoughts were shouting over each other.

_Edward, what has happened?_

_Are you okay Edward? Talk to us. What's wrong?_

_Edward, seriously. What's going on?_

"You're leaving us," Alice whispered in surprise. It wasn't a question. Her vision had been clear. I'd made up my mind. Rosalie gasped, shocked.

"Yes."

"Why?" Emmett demanded. "Whatever it is, we can sort it," He added roughly, picturing a faceless enemy in his mind, someone he had to destroy. How wrong he was. It was someone I had to save.

"I have to go. I can't stay here," I growled.

The memory of her scent crashed into my thoughts. The beast growled, demanding I seek her out right now. I knew where she lived. It would be so easy to drive to Chief Swan's house ...

I saw the vision in Alice's mind before I finished that thought. Bella dead. My eyes shining brightly with her blood.

"No!" I roared, desperate to get the image out of my mind. I had decided I was leaving.

"Edward, what was that? It was so fast – I didn't see. Was that the new girl? What happened …" Alice trailed off, understanding. "I see."

"Yes, which is why I have to leave." I brought the car to a jolting stop. We had reached the top of our driveway. "I need to speak to Carlisle," I said to my siblings, my voice harsh and clipped.

"Will someone tell me what on …" Rosalie started in an indignant tone.

"I will explain, Rose, just get out the car," Alice interrupted, fixing Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper with a stern look. All three got out the car immediately. "It will be okay, Edward," Alice turned to face me, her expression soft. "But we will miss you." And with that, Alice darted out the car, leaving me alone.


	2. Open Book

**2\. Open Book**

I raced to Forks Hospital, my foot pressing firmly on the accelerator until I entered the car park. I couldn't afford to waver. Any sliver of doubt would see me racing back to town. Back to her.

It wasn't difficult to find Carlisle. I could hear his conversation with a patient on the third floor. I went to his office to wait for him.

Carlisle's office was generous in size with a large desk to the right, neatly arranged with papers stacked into piles. The left wall was almost completely covered by a bookcase containing a vast collection of medical textbooks and journals. I sat impatiently in Carlisle's sturdy leather chair, dreading what I must tell him. I listened eagerly as he finished his conversation and made his way back to his office.

He caught my scent as he entered the corridor.

_Edward, _his mind called as he quickened his pace outside.

A moment later, he was closing the door. I lifted my eyes to meet his. His thoughts were concerned as he took in my appearance. His mind showed me what he saw. My eyes were a deep, soulless black. My eyebrows were furrowed in fury and fear. My jaw was clenched tight.

_Edward, what's wrong? _He thought urgently. _Esme …_

"Esme is fine. Our family is fine," I reassured him, my voice flat and lifeless.

"Oh good," he relaxed slightly, still apprehensive at my tone.

"I need to leave."

_Leave? _His thoughts answered, shocked. _Why, Edward? What has happened?_

"I … I can't stay here," I murmured. He stared at me patiently. This was much harder than I had expected it to be. "There's a human. She …" I trailed off. How could I explain?

"Ah, a human," Carlisle sighed. _You did well to resist. We will hunt tonight, don't worry, _his thoughts added.

"No, it's not like that," I explained. "Well, it is. But … her smell—it's … it's overwhelming," I stated, unable to capture the irresistible scent in words. "I thought I would lose my mind. I nearly … I nearly did." I looked up into Carlisle's eyes, shame burning through my core. To my surprise, he was smiling.

"Edward, you have no reason to be ashamed. I take it the girl is still alive? You've accomplished something great."

"It was so close," I whispered gravely.

Carlisle smiled at me kindly. His mind raced through multiple scenarios, contemplating our options, thinking of strategies to help me. I shook my head gently. He saw the resolution in my face.

_Do what you must._

"I fear when I leave, I won't be able to go. I worry that I will try to find her," I admitted. My throat was raw, my control fading. The beast knew it.

"You will leave. I know you are strong enough, Edward. Take my car, it's faster," Carlisle said, holding out his keys. "Where will you go?"

"Away."

_Alaska? _Carlisle proposed, thinking of Tanya and our other cousins in Denali.

"Perhaps." I took the keys from his outstretched hand, replacing them with my own. I stared into his eyes for a long moment before turning to the door. "Please will you tell Esme I'm sorry," I added, pain seeped into my voice as I thought of how this would hurt her.

"Of course," Carlisle replied sincerely. _I'm proud of you, son._

I left the office without looking back.

I stared blankly at the painting on the wall opposite, my eyes unfocused. This was the first peace I'd had since arriving in Denali. Tanya and the others had gone to hunt. I'd politely declined their invitation to join them.

I knew they were concerned about me. I knew Esme had called Tanya twice. I knew Carlisle had explained the situation to Kate. I knew they all pitied me.

I'd only been in Alaska 4 days, yet it seemed like an eternity compared to the rest of my immortal life. I couldn't stop thinking about the girl. She filled my every thought. Her existence taunted me. The memory of her haunted me. I was infuriated that I had been driven away from my home. Who was this insignificant girl to force me to leave my family? Why had this happened to me?

At least the distance had allowed me to think objectively. Although I could perfectly remember her delicious scent, I did not dwell on it. It did not consume me as it had when she was mere metres from me. I convinced myself I could go home. I could face her again. I had done it once. I could control myself. Clearly, I would need to take precautions, but I could do it. I would do it. I wouldn't be forced out of my family because of a human girl.

Part of me, a part that had nothing to do with the insatiable monster inside me, wanted to see her again. This girl was a mystery. Not just her scent, but her mind. Why is it that I can't hear her? I never had the chance to talk with Carlisle about it. What was it about this girl that made her different? What was special about her?

The decision made, I drove all thought of the girl from my mind and made my plans to go home.

It was midday on Friday when I returned home. The others at school, Carlisle at the hospital, only Esme was home. She heard the car as I entered the long drive and was standing waiting for me as I turned off the engine in the garage.

"Edward," she greeted me, relief and love thick in her voice. I stepped out of the car into her open arms. She held me tightly for several seconds, her mind conveying her happiness at my return. _We missed you so much, _she thought. _How are you? Carlisle explained everything._

"I'm fine," I replied. She stepped back to look at my face. She didn't believe me. "No, really I am," I reassured her. "I just needed space."

"Well, I'm glad you're home now," she smiled warmly. "Let's go inside."

I spent the next few hours talking with Esme. I hadn't realised how much I'd needed to talk with someone. She sat patiently, content to let me talk, simply happy that I had returned so quickly. She had been worried that I would be gone for weeks.

The others returned from school late in the afternoon. Alice walked in and flashed me a wide smile. Of course, she had known I was coming home. Jasper simply clapped my shoulder and grinned at me.

_It's good to have you back, brother, _he thought as he passed.

"It's been dull without you here," Emmett greeted me, pulling me into a crushing hug as he stepped in from the garage. Rosalie trailed behind him.

_You should have stayed away, _she thought, concern filling her thoughts.

"I'm fine," I replied, turning to face her. "I would not have come back if I didn't …"

"You're putting us all at risk, Edward," she said curtly. "We will have to move."

"Rose, he just got back," Emmett interjected. "Give the man a break."

"He isn't the only one who stands to lose something here, Emmett," Rosalie snapped back. "I don't want to move again." She glared at me.

"We won't have to move again," I replied calmly. "I can control myself." As I said it, the beast inside me growled, my confidence wavered.

Alice picked up on my moment of weakness as multiple visions flashed across her mind. Bella dead. My eyes bright crimson. Bella alive. Me watching Bella's house. Bella and I talking. Bella dead again. We shared a tense look. I steeled my resolve, controlled the monster inside, and her visions settled. Bella alive.

"Control yourself? You said to Carlisle that you already nearly lost control," Rosalie accused me.

"But he resisted, Rosalie," Alice pointed out.

"So we should just keep tempting fate until he fails?" Rosalie shouted.

"Edward is stronger than you think," Esme spoke up. "It is his decision and, as his family—" she emphasised the words. "—we will support him."

Rosalie opened her mouth, but Alice interrupted, "Carlisle will be home in 15 minutes."

Rosalie snapped her mouth closed and stormed to the dining room, taking a seat at the end of the long table.

Carlisle entered the dining room fifteen minutes later to us sitting around the large table, the seat at the head of the table left empty. He swiftly took it.

"Welcome back, Edward," he turned to smile at me, sat on his left hand side. "Given our location, I assume there is something to discuss," he addressed the rest of our family.

The large oak dining table we were sitting at did not see much use. We did not use it for dining, so it's only purpose was to host meetings or discussions like this one.

"Yes. Edward putting us all in danger," Rosalie replied seriously, looking directly at Carlisle.

_How dramatic, _Alice thought, rolling her eyes. Rosalie saw and glared at her.

"Edward should not have returned. We will have to move again, and we've only just settled here," she continued.

Although they did not feel as strongly, I could see that my brothers agreed with Rosalie. Jasper had already been researching places we could move to next, weighing up the most reasonable options.

"We won't have to move," I replied. Rosalie wasn't convinced.

"Don't be deluded Edward—of course we will have to move. I know you think you are strong, but you ..."

"Rosalie," Esme warned. "Edward is strong enough, and we will do whatever it takes for him to stay with us."

"He isn't! If her blood really is so tempting, so overwhelming, to you, why risk it? You should stay away."

"So you want to kick me out of the family? Out of my home?" I demanded of her.

"No, I don't _want _to," she shouted back, defensive. "But it's what must happen. In two years, the girl will go away to college and you can return."

"Rose," Emmett turned to her in shock. He had not realised that Rosalie wanted me to leave for so long.

"We are not breaking up the family," Esme said, a note of finality in her tone. Everyone looked to Carlisle.

"Rosalie, think about what you are asking," he addressed her calmly yet firmly. He turned to me. "Edward, we do not want you to leave."

My family members added their own agreements to his statement. Everyone but Rosalie. Even my brothers, who saw us leaving Forks as an impending inevitability, did not want me to leave.

"But Rosalie does present an argument we should consider," Carlisle continued. He turned back to me. "Edward, I know you are dedicated to this lifestyle and I am proud of the control you have shown. I do not wish to undermine your restraint, but if the temptation of this girl's blood is as powerful as you say, we must consider our course of action as a family". He turned back to address the whole table.

"Edward leaving our family, even temporarily, is not an option, so there are three alternative outcomes. The first is that we leave now and settle elsewhere, leaving the girl unharmed. The second is that we remain in Forks and Edward is unsuccessful in controlling his desire for the girl. In that event, we would, of course, have to leave Forks and the girl's life would be taken. The final outcome is that we remain in Forks and Edward is successful in resisting the girl." He turned to me.

"Only you can make the decision, Edward. Clearly, the third outcome is preferred, but it also presents the greatest difficulty for you. We would not object if you chose for us to move away immediately," he ignored Rosalie's protest and continued. "It is more important that the girl does not lose her life for this."

All eyes around the table were trained on me. Esme gave me a sympathetic yet encouraging smile as I met her gaze. I could see in her mind that she was willing to move away from Forks at a moment's notice if it kept our family together.

_Edward, _Alice called my name in her thoughts. _You are strong enough. _She showed me what she had seen: Bella and I walking together. We were side by side making our way through a forest, talking and laughing freely. I could not tell when or where we were.

The vision confirmed the decision I'd already made.

"I want us to stay. I can control myself."

Alice nodded at me once before standing up and walking gracefully away from the table, effectively ending the meeting. Esme followed her swiftly up the stairs to work on their current renovation project. Rosalie stomped away from the table, heading out to the lawn at the back of the house.

"Don't know what she's annoyed about," Emmett muttered as he followed her begrudgingly. "She got what she wanted."

"I did not get what I wanted," I heard Rosalie retort from a distance. "It isn't the point that Edward …" Her voice trailed off as her and Emmett crossed the river into the forest. They would be gone a long while.

I turned back to the table. Jasper had quietly left while I had been focused on Rosalie, leaving me alone with Carlisle.

"Carlisle, there was something else I wanted to discuss with you," I addressed him.

"Of course, Edward. What is it?"

"The girl, Bella," I started hesitantly. "I can't hear her mind."

Carlisle's eyebrows lifted in surprise. He paused a moment, thinking.

"No, this has never happened before," I said, answering the speculations in his mind. "She's a blank space. It's like she simply isn't there."

"How intriguing," Carlisle mused.

"I was hoping you may have a hypothesis as to why I cannot hear her."

"Well, it would be difficult to know for sure, but I suspect this girl, Bella, may have an unusual mind. Of course, the anatomy and biochemistry of her brain must be normal, but she may have an unusual thought process or way of thinking that is not compatible with your gift." Carlisle supposed. "Perhaps she has unique neural connections that prevent you from reading her thoughts."

"You think her brain is wired differently?" I summarised.

"It is possible. However, it is not vitally important," he added, fixing me with a knowing stare. "Whether you can read her thoughts or not is irrelevant since you cannot afford to be near her."

He clapped my shoulder gently, offering me a small smile, before retreating to his office.

"She's coming," Alice warned.

I held my breath, suddenly agitated, anxious. Why was I anxious? I had no need to be. I would not be able to pick out her scent in this crowded cafeteria. Not unless I sought it. Which I wouldn't. I couldn't.

I'd spent all weekend preparing for this, preparing to see her. I'd hunted twice, drinking far more than I needed too as a precaution. Alice had assured me that she saw nothing that I needed to be worried about, but we both knew how quickly the future could change.

Jasper sensed the shift in my emotions and I immediately felt a wave of calm nudge me back to normalcy. I gave him a small appreciative smile.

Refusing to look for Bella Swan, not daring to look for her, I raised my eyebrows at Alice inquisitively.

_She's already here. She is sitting to the right of the checkout, _Alice replied.

I released the breath I had been holding. She's already here. I couldn't smell her. Relief washed through me.

Alice shot Jasper a meaningful look. The left side of his mouth twitched as Emmett revealed a perfectly round snowball he had been concealing.

Snow had been falling since the early hours of the morning. When Alice promised it would not last until the end of the day, Emmett had waged a snowball war against Jasper on our way to the cafeteria, which I had been dragged into. Clearly, the war was not over.

Quick as a flash, Emmett flung the snowball across the table, aiming directly for Jasper's face. Jasper caught the snowball and threw it back at Emmett, faster than any human could detect. The snowball struck Emmett on the top of his head, showering his dark curls with snow.

Emmett let out a roar of laughter and shook his head, flinging snow in every direction. Rosalie squealed and leaned away from him, although she let out a tiny laugh. Jasper and Alice were both laughing outrageously. I grinned at my brothers.

_She's looking, _Alice thought.

Without thinking, I turned to seek her out. I found her face immediately and realised I had already known where to look. I was subconsciously aware of her. Our eyes met and I couldn't help wondering what she was thinking. What had she thought of my reaction last week? Had she even noticed? I'd been so absorbed in my own thoughts, in controlling myself, that I had not assessed her reaction. Her deep brown eyes betrayed nothing. How strange it was to not hear the thoughts hidden below the surface. Bella averted her gaze, her hair concealing her face.

"Edward Cullen is staring at you," Jessica Stanley whispered to Bella. _Why he's interested in you, I don't know, _her thoughts added enviously. _It's not like you're anything special._

"He doesn't look angry, does he?" Bella replied.

So she had noticed my reaction last week. She must think I'm insane, or else possessed.

"No. Should he be?" Jessica asked inquisitively.

"I don't think he likes me," Bella sighed. She lay her head down on her arms.

I would have to apologise for my behaviour last week. I endeavoured to be on my best behaviour in biology class. I paused. Why did I care what this human thought of me? She had done nothing but torment me since arriving in Forks. But I did care. I cared what Bella Swan thought of me.

"The Cullens don't like anybody," Jessica replied bitterly. "Well, they don't notice anybody enough to like them." She glanced back over at me. "But he's still staring at you."

"Stop looking at him," Bella hissed. Jessica giggled and looked away.

_I guess we can add Edward to the list of people obsessed with Bella. I don't know why everyone is so interested in her anyway. Especially Mike. I'm much prettier than her and she's not that smart …_

I quickly tuned out Jessica's mind. She was helpful in gaining an insight into Bella's thoughts, but her jealous comments were starting to grate on my nerves.

I glanced at Bella frequently for the rest of the lunch hour. She did not once look at me. I found myself wishing again that I could hear her mind. What a mystery she was. Perhaps her mind did work differently as Carlisle had suspected, but could it be different enough that even I couldn't hear her?

I followed her with my eyes as she left the cafeteria with Mike Newton, both curious and dreading spending the next hour with her. I let out a long breath and looked up. Four pairs of eyes stared back at me.

_Everything will be fine, Edward, _Alice reassured me.

_Good luck, mate, _Emmett thought, raising his eyebrows at me.

_Don't mess this up, _Rosalie warned with a growl.

I gave my family a grim smile and left the table.

Bella was already seated at our shared desk when I entered the biology classroom, her head bent over her notebook. I held my breath as I walked through the door. She did not look up as I crossed the room or when I took the seat next to her. I purposefully slid my seat across the space, sitting as far from her as the desk would allow.

I opened my mouth to speak and breathed in for the first time. Her scent hit me as it had last week. Strong. Powerful. Enchanting. My throat flared with thirst. I had been expecting this. I had hunted plentifully over the weekend, so I was not thirsty, yet I was thirsty for her. The monster inside yearned for her blood, to taste the sweet scent. I controlled the reaction, pushing down all thoughts of killing her right here and concentrated on fixing my features into what I hoped was a gentle and open expression.

"Hello," I said in a light voice. I needed to prove to her that I could be polite.

She looked up at me, her face expressed shock. Her lips parted as she assessed my face. She did not say anything.

"My name is Edward Cullen. I didn't have the chance to introduce myself last week," I added, glossing over our disastrous first meeting. "You must be Bella Swan."

She stared at me blankly. Why was she not saying anything? Had I scared her so thoroughly last week that she could not talk to me now? It was maddening to not be able to reach into her mind and uncover what she was thinking. I had not realised until now how heavily I relied on what was revealed through thoughts alone.

"H-how do you know my name," Bella stuttered.

"Oh, I think everyone knows your name," I laughed, pleased that she was speaking to me. "The whole town's been waiting for you to arrive." She made a face that I could not decipher.

"No. I meant, why did you call me Bella?"

My brow furrowed as I considered her question. Every mind I'd listened to had referred to her as Bella.

"Do you prefer Isabella?"

"No, I like Bella, but I think Charlie—I mean my dad—must call me Isabella behind my back—that's what everyone here seems to know me as," she trailed off quietly.

"Oh." Of course. She did prefer Bella, but she had never told me that. I had made a mistake. And she had noticed.

At that moment, Mr Banner began the class. Bella turned to listen to him. I kept my eyes trained on her, considering her reaction. She was clever and very observant. It was foolish of me to have made such a mistake.

"Get started," Mr Banner called.

I stared quickly at the table. We had a microscope and several slides of what looked like onion root tip cells. A brief look into Mr Banner's mind confirmed my suspicion that we were identifying the phases of mitosis.

"Ladies first, partner?" I gestured to Bella with a small smile. She stared back unblinking. "Or I could start, if you wish," I offered when she did not reply.

"No," she replied quickly, a blush forming in her cheeks. "I'll go ahead."

I had to control my reaction as I watched the blush spread across her cheeks. I was surprised at how easy it was. Of course, I was battling the beast inside every second I was with her, keeping an iron grip on my desire to give into the temptation of her blood. And yet, I found myself pulled in by this girl, the mystery of her. My intrigue in her reactions distracted me from the overwhelming thirst.

"Prophase," she stated. She had barely looked at the slide.

"Do you mind if I look?" I asked as she began to remove the slide. Absentmindedly, I reached out to stop her.

The second our hands touched, the heat of her skin rushed through me like an electric shock. It had been a long time since I had touched something so warm, so full of life. I choked down the thirst that crept up my throat.

She jerked her hand away. An expression of shock crossing her face.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, continuing to reach for the microscope. "Prophase," I agreed after examining the slide, writing the word on our worksheet. She had been right.

I replaced the slide with the second specimen, trying not to focus on the warmth I had felt, that I could still feel, in my fingers.

"Anaphase." I wrote the answer on the sheet.

"May I?" Bella asked, extending her hand for the microscope.

She wanted to check my answer as I had checked hers. Was she simply wishing to look for herself or to make a point? I smirked, pushing the microscope to her side of the desk. She assessed the slide briefly.

"Slide three?" She extended her hand for the next specimen. She had not found fault in my evaluation.

I placed the next slide carefully in her hand, making an effort to avoid her skin. I was surprised by an intense desire to touch her again, to feel the warmth of her skin against mine. I knew that would be a bad idea.

"Interphase," she announced, having looked at the slide for mere seconds. She pushed the microscope towards me, offering for me to check.

She was right again. I wrote the answer down.

With the lab finished, I sat in silence, staring at Bella, longing to know what she was thinking. Why had she pulled away from me when our hands touched? Was it simply a reaction to the temperature of my skin, or a reaction to me? I grimaced in frustration at not being able to hear her mind. It was quickly becoming a great inconvenience.

Bella looked up at me suddenly, her eyes meeting mine.

"Did you get contacts?" She inquired.

"No," I replied, confused.

"Oh, I thought there was something different about your eyes."

A second mistake that she had noticed. She was very observant indeed. Humans did not notice the color of our eyes changing. They did not look at us long enough to notice. But she had. I shrugged and turned to the window, hoping I appeared nonchalant.

Mr Banner approached our table to see our progress with the lab.

"So, Edward, didn't you think Isabella should get a chance with the microscope?" He asked. _Showing off to the new girl, _his thoughts added.

"Bella," I corrected him, annoyed by the tone of his thoughts. "Actually, she identified three of the five." Mr Banner turned to look at Bella, suspicious.

"Have you done this lab before?"

"Not with onion root," Bella replied, a small smile curving her lips.

"Whitefish blastula?"

"Yeah."

"Were you in an advanced placement program in Phoenix?" He asked.

"Yes." I wasn't surprised to hear that Bella was more intelligent than the average Forks High School student. That much was obvious.

"Well, I guess it's good you two are lab partners," he said flatly. "Great, now I've got two geniuses," he muttered as he walked away.

Once he had left, Bella returned to doodling in her notebook. I watched as her hand swirled an erratic pattern on the page.

"It's too bad about the snow, isn't it?" I asked her, hoping to draw her into conversation with me.

"Not really," she shrugged.

"You don't like the cold," I surmised, remember how quickly she pulled away from my touch.

"Or the wet."

"Forks must be a difficult place for you to live."

"You have no idea," she murmured, the tone of her voice dejected and cold.

"Why did you come here, then?" I asked, curious to find out what caused her depressed tone. She had my full attention.

"It's … complicated," she hedged.

"I think I can keep up," I encourage her with a smile, keen to understand this mysterious girl.

She paused, thinking. Infuriating. How badly I wanted to hear her thoughts, to reach into her mind and unravel her. She looked up to meet my eyes.

"My mother got remarried," she replied, stumbling over the words.

"That doesn't sound so complex. When did that happen?"

"Last September," she sighed. Her voice was definitely sad now, regretful. It was not an uncommon situation, but I felt myself sorrowed by her pain.

"And you don't like him," I said kindly.

"No, Phil is fine," she disagreed. "Too young, maybe, but nice enough."

"Why didn't you stay with them?" I found myself getting frustrated by her answers. Why could she not just simply say exactly what she meant. She was so difficult to understand without an insight into her thoughts.

"Phil travels a lot. He plays ball for a living," she smiled.

"Have I heard of him?" I enquired, consulting the list of professional baseball players I knew.

"Probably not. He doesn't play well. Strictly minor league. He moves around a lot."

"And you mother sent you here so that she could travel with him," I stated. That seemed unfair, but I knew first-hand how cruel and selfish humans could be, particularly parents. I felt indignant on Bella's behalf.

"No, she did not send me here," Bella said in a clipped tone, defensive. "I sent myself."

I was confused now. She had come here voluntarily, yet she liked Phil. Why would she come to a place she so plainly did not like? This conversation was infuriating. I had never had to guess so much.

"I don't understand," I admitted, hoping she would explain.

"She stayed with me at first," Bella smiled wistfully. "But she missed him. It made her unhappy," her smile faded. "So I decided it was time to spend some quality time with Charlie."

"But now you're unhappy."

"And?" She asked, as if her happiness was insignificant.

"That doesn't seem fair," I shrugged. I could not understand this girl. She laughed humorlessly.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you? Life isn't fair."

"I believe I _have_ heard that somewhere before," I agreed, amused by her wit.

"So that's all."

I assessed her for a moment, observing her hunched shoulders.

"You put on a good show, but I'd be willing to bet that you're suffering more than you let anyone see."

She turned to me with a grim smile. I almost wanted to laugh at her expression.

"Am I wrong?" I challenged her. She did not answer. "I didn't think so."

"Why does it matter to _you_?" She rounded on me with an accusatory tone. I was taken aback.

"That's a very good question," I whispered. Why did it matter to me? I'd become fully engrossed in the sadness this human girl had just exposed to me. I had never been remotely interested in the life of any human, so why was Bella so intriguing to me? Was it simply because I couldn't read her thoughts or was there something else?

Bella sighed loudly.

"Am I annoying you?" I asked, smiling at the irony of her annoyance at me not providing answers. She turned to face me again.

"Not exactly. I'm more annoyed at myself. My face is so easy to read—my mother always calls me her open book."

"On the contrary," I objected. "I find you very difficult to read."

"You must be a good reader then."

"Usually," I grinned widely.

At that moment, Mr Banner addressed the class from the front of the room. Bella turned away, her movement stirring the air around her. The overwhelming scent was flung in my face, hitting me like a brick. Every muscle in my body tensed. I could not tell if it was in preparation to attack or to hold myself back. It did not matter. I could not kill Bella. Certainly not now I knew that she was far more interesting than I had predicted.

I leaned away from her, trying to escape the temptation that threatened to engulf me. I did not breathe, but I could feel her scent around me, eager to invade my body. I would not let it in. I could not attack her now. That first day, I'd thought she was a demon sent to torture me. I now knew she was no demon. She was something else. Something special. Unique.

I maintained my tense position for the remainder of the lesson. Without her conversation to distract me, I could not afford to lessen my grip on the monster. It was a relief when the bell rang. I stalked out of the classroom without looking back. I heard Mike descend on her the moment I had left, like a fly that could not be swatted.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur. I could not drag my mind away from her, so when the final bell rang, I raced out to the parking lot, hoping to see her again. As I reached my car, she exited the gym and made her way across the lot, hunched over in the rain.

She did not notice me until she got in her truck, three cars away. She met my eyes briefly, looking away quickly as her cheeks reddened. A thrill jolted through my body at her gaze. The red truck jolted backwards, the movement clumsy and uncontrolled. Bella's eyes widened in alarm as she slammed her foot on the brake, halting the truck mere centimetres from another car. Bella sighed and coaxed the truck to move forward, cautious now. Her expression was caught between embarrassment and resignation. I could not help myself as I burst out laughing. So she was clumsy—how amusing. I watched her truck crawling along, the engine roaring thunderously, until she turned out of view.


End file.
